Lightsabers
by spiffy2
Summary: Just a quick story I whipped up that would replace a short period of what goes on in Lightsabers.


Alternate universe fic taking place the night just after jacen slices tenel ka's arm off in Lightsabers - I just never liked how in some parts (not all) they made it look like everyone was equally sad to see Tenel Ka's accident. Also, this is my first try at any fan fiction. Ever. So feedback would be appreciated. The usual I don't own star wars and its characters etc rules apply.  
  
==  
  
Jacen fitfully tossed and turned in his sleep, none-too-quietly at all, really. He was loud enough for half the academy to hear him. His muffled screams of "No... NO!" had caused a small group of students to gather around his door, afraid something was wrong in there. Jaina woke to his agony and quickly strode into his room, all but ignoring the presence of the other students. She shook him from his nightmares, and upon awaking, he bolted upright in his bed, his face drenched with sweat and his breathing heavy and almost as loud as his quiet-but-loud-enough screams that were heard seconds earlier.  
  
"I need to see her," he said aloud, without even acknowledging Jaina's presence, but while he had planned to see her in the academy, the noise from outside his window warranted a look. And there she was.  
  
Beautiful, as always, but in very bad shape, lying on a stretcher and being carried to the large Hapan ship that was prepping itself for takeoff. Without even thinking, he threw on his robes and sprinted down to the landing pad, but the ship was already a good 30 feet from the ground. Hesitating only for a moment, he ran to the small garage that belonged to the jedi academy and hurriedly fired the Shadow Chaser's engines...  
  
-  
  
Luke Skywalker was watching from his windowed office in the jedi academy as Tenel Ka's ship back to Hapes whisked her away. Right on schedule. And then he watched as the shadow chaser sped after it, sensing that there was only one pilot in the ship and that they were focused on following the Hapan cruiser at all costs.  
  
Right on schedule.  
  
-  
  
As Tenel Ka's Hapan transport landed on one of her home planets, she had an uneasy feeling that there was nothing right about just leaving her friends. She had not told them of her heritage on Hapes so that they would take her seriously as a warrior - not as a pampered princess. But as she was taken off of the ship and into the royal palace of Hapes, every part of her mind and body just felt numb. As she was rushed inside, dazed and a mental wreck, her grandmother, Ta'a Chume, took advantage of her current state of being. "I suppose you'll want to be fitted for a new arm, then? You'll never be able to tell the difference." Tenel Ka could only nod.  
  
Jacen landed on the landing pad closest to the one that was used by Tenel Ka's transport, but he had no authorization. As two guards briskly strolled down the platform toward him, they wasted no time on greetings. "What is your business here, civilian?"  
  
"I must see Tenel Ka immediately" was all Jacen could think of as a reply. The guards looked flabberghasted. "How DARE you refer to her highness by her first name, as if she were nothing more than a common citizen." "Her Highness?" Jacen replied, by now very confused about this - "Why has a warrior girl from Dathomir been taken to a place like this?" All the guards could do was tell him that they were assured that the princess of Hapes was busy and she could not be bothered to see him. "Princess of Hapes?" Jacen questioned, "I came here to see my... my friend, Tenel Ka. My name is Jacen Solo, and-"  
  
But the guards cut him off: "Jacen Solo!? Son of the Chief of State of the New Republic? On some urgent republic business no doubt. Right this way." Before he could say anything, they had escorted him into a large formal room and had seated him at one end of a needlessly large conference table. "An ambassador will be seeing you shortly." Before Jacen could protest, the guards had half-run down the hall, obviously trying in some way to treat him with respect, though failing miserably. Soon a woman who he could tell was in no way related to his friend from Dathomir entered the room and sat opposite him.  
  
"Greetings," she said, "I am Yfra, Ambassador of Hapes. And what brings you here?" Jacen was pulled way in over his head before he knew what had hit him. "Uhm.." he stammered, "I was looking for my friend Tenel Ka. Why was she brought here?" Ambassador Yfra looked at him quizzically, as if trying to tell whether or not he was serious.   
  
"Princess Tenel Ka, as you should know, is heir to the throne of Hapes, and right now is busy being healed from an unfortunate accident. She can spare no time-" As Jacen cut her off, an amount of authority was added to his voice that surprised even him. "I know full well about the accident and I was, in fact... present... at its happening. I wish for nothing more than to see my friend."  
  
Yfra was obviously ruffled from his interruption. "I can assure you, the princess would not like to see someone as brash and disrespectful as you during her time of need. I'm afraid I must ask you to leave, young Skywalker." Jacen stood up, not letting anything stop him. "Listen to me - i'm the reason that she's experienced this tragedy, and I can't idly sit by while someone I care for as much as her is hospitalized because of me, and i'm certainly not going to turn back now at the words of somebody other than Princess Tenel Ka herself." Jacen's voice quaked with anger and a touch of sadness. Yfra quickly pulled something out of her pocket and clicked it, and instantly guards rushed into the room, attemptin to seize Jacen. Before he knew what was happening, they grabbed him at the arms and dragged him kicking and screaming from the room. In one of the hallways he gained a slight upper hand as something welled up inside him that he'd never felt before and he managed to land a kick square on one of the guards' faces. He took the moment that they all hesitated to sprint, aided by the force, down the hallway, looking for any sign of Tenel Ka. As he was running he saw something and slowed to a complete halt. Lying in a room before him on a medical table, Tenel Ka was letting a droid fit her with mechanical arms. He looked at the stump that was her left arm and suddenly his stomach wretched. Jacen simply couldn't bear to see her like this. He slumped down and sat cross-legged against the wall that had the window into the room she was in. His head fell into his arms. Tears ran down his face. Everything was his fault. Suddenly, he heard her muffled voice. "I said NO!" Tenel Ka yelled, and with a crash Jacen didn't have to guess that she had rejected the idea of relying on a mechanical arm. He got up and knocked frantically on the window into the medical bay that she occupied, but when Tenel Ka looked up at him - unbelievably joyous to see him - she was surprised to see Hapan guards grab him from behind and drag him away from the window. He fought hard, but they truly had him this time - despite it all, she truly admired his effort to get back to her. The guards were proud of themselves until the broken form of a medical droid was hurled through the medical bay window and took down almost half of them.  
  
"Jacen Solo," said the firm voice of Tenel Ka to her guards, "is my guest."  
  
-  
  
After most of the commotion had died down, Jacen and Tenel Ka had retreated to her sleeping quarters.  
  
"Jacen," Tenel Ka began, "my friend, what are you doing here?" Although the question sounded differently, Jacen could tell she was happy to see him.  
  
"I just need to know what I can do to earn your friendship back." Tenel Ka slid off her small cloak, revealing her one arm and the stump that Jacen had left her with. He looked away, unable to bear it.  
  
"What has happened to me is entirely my fault, Jacen. I rushed the building of my lightsaber and its malfunctioning is something I should have noticed earlier.  
  
"But I should have been able to pull back faster than i did!" Jacen said, "I did this to you."  
  
Firmly and surely, Tenel Ka said to him "This is all my doing." Jacen was at a loss for words. He had to use his last resort:  
  
"Well...uh... wanna hear a joke?" And with that, Tenel Ka broke into outrageous laughter. Jacen couldn't believe how she looked even more beautiful when she smiled.   
  
"I.. I never got to tell my joke." Jacen beamed. Tears ran down Tenel Ka's face as she recovered from what she had just done. He still hadn't gotten over how unbelievably beautiful she was with a smile on her face, and he was determined not to have this be the only time he saw her wearing one.  
  
"I assure you, Jacen, my friend, that I do not hold you responsible for what happened to me during our lightsaber training. I forgive you." All Jacen could do was embrace her, and they just stood there holding eachother for what seemed like eternity, fresh tears coming from both of them. "I love you so much, Tenel Ka," Jacen whispered to himself, unsure of whether or not he wanted her to hear. When her cling on him tightened, he knew for sure that she had, and before he knew it she was kissing him passionately and he was eagerly returning the favor. 


End file.
